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NEBRASKA’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS
THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS. Editor.
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^ $2.00 a Year—5 | to a Copy_OMAHA, NEBRASKA, MARCH 4, 1927_Vol. XII—No. 36 Whole Number 606
SEEKS ANNULMEN1 otCAUSE
WIFE IS WHITE, NOT BLACK
Albert Thomas Alleges That His
Wife Deceived Him As to Her
Racial Identity; Married
18 Years
Oakland, Cal.—Albert Thomas last
Friday discovered that the woman he
married in 1908 is of the white race
and has entered suit in the divorce
court for an annulment on the
ground that she deceived him.
The records show that in applying
for the marriage license in 1908 the
bride gave her race as “colored.”
COMPANY QUALIFIES
UNDER RIGID TEST
OF EMPIRE STATE
Victory Life Insurance Company
y First of Kind to Secure License
to Operate in New York
State
NOTABLE RACE ACHIEVEMENT
Chicago, 111.—After more than a
| year hud lapsed since filing an appli
cation for admittance into the State
of New York a license to operate
in that state was granted to Victory
Life Insurance Company of Chicago
on February 9, 1927. During this
period of time they were subjected
to a rigid examination by the New
York Insurance department and suc
cessfully met every requirement of
what is regarded as the strictest and
most technical insurance department
In the world.
This achievement on the part of
this organization, which is the larg
est capitalized life insurance com
pany of our group, is one of the
most outstanding events in the his
tory of our commercial life and evi
dences the fact that we have reached
that point in our business develop
ment where it is possible to meet any
test that may be given.
The full significance of this
achievement can better be appreci
ated when it is realized that since the
Armstrong investigation in 1906 the
insurance laws of New York have
been the most stringent of any state;
insuring the utmost economy in
management; absolute protection to
policyholders, and a fair return to
stockholders. Quoting from an arti
cle by J. Garland Wood we find that
“only four life insurance companies
* have been able to qualify for the
state within the last twenty years.
A list of the companies operating in
New York is a “Who’s Who in Life
Insurance." They form the aristoc
racy of the insurance world and only
the best and most conservative com
panies are admitted with them. Not
* a single southern company is licensed
to do business in that state. The
fifth company is Victory Life Insur
ance company of Chicago, the young
est of them all. It has the unusual
distinction of being the only Illinois
company of a total of twenty-six in
the state admitted to do business in
New York.
The advent of Victory Life Insur
ance company into New York will
bring to the Negroes of that state
an insurance service unsurpassed by
that offered by any other company.
It will enable them to secure the
largest amount of insurance at the
lowest possible cost; open up new
avenues of employment, and offer to
them an opportunity to invest in
an organization of them, by them
and for them.
COLORED COMMERCIAL CLUB
The executive committee of the
Colored Commercial club held an
important meeting, Thursday night
and planned an extensive program
for the next few months. The club
\ will have an important announcement
I to make to the public before long.
Dr. D. W. Gooden is president and he
has the whole-hearted and enthusi
astic support of the entire member
ship. The club rooms will be con
tinued at the present location,
( 1514% North Twenty-fourth street.
■ \ As one of its activities its employ
ment bureau, which has been oper
ated for several years will be con
tinued.
GIVER SIX MONTHS
FOR SELLING NEGRO
FAMILY AS SLAVES
Louisianian First to Recuivo Light
Sentenco in Recently Disclosed
Peonage Cases Prevalent
in South
SALE PRICE $5.00 PER HEAD
New Orleans, La.—John D. Alford,
alias "Speedy” Alford, St. Helena
parish, now serving a justice court
sentence in the Tangipahoa parish
jail, recently pleaded guilty to a
peonage indictment charging the en
slavement of Crawford Allen, 50, and
his wife and three children and their
sale to a St. Helena farmer. Judge
W. I. Grubb in United States district
court sentenced him to serve six
months in jail, his sentence to begin
upon the completion of his present
term at Amite.
Abducted Negroes
Webb Bellue, indicted with Alford,
following an alleged traffic in color
ed persons across the Mississippi line
from Amite county to the Fluker sec
tion along the Tangipahoa-St. Helena
border, is expected to surrender him
self to federal authorities within a
few days, according to Assistant
United States Attorney Talbot, who
prosecuted the case and presented it
to the federal grand jury.
Sheriff Lem Bowden of Tangipa
hoa, who brought Alford to New
Orleans for arraignment here declar
ed that his jurisdiction is “free from
all peonage conditions.”
Sheriff Defend* County
"Tangipahoa has been sorely mis
represented in these cases,” the sher
iff sa 1. “Ail of these transactions
have affected St. Helena citizens, and
the alleged traffic has been across
Tangipahoa between St. Helena and
the Mississippi border counties. 1 am
bending every effort to prevent any
imposition upon colored laborers in
my parish, and I confidently say
that Tangipahoa has been rid of any
thing like these cases.”
Two Others Face Charge
Bellue and Alford were indicted
several weeks ago, after an investi
gation by federal agents revealed the
alleged capture of Allen’s family by
the two men in Mississippi and their
transportation to a St. Helena farm
er west of Fluker, where they were
sold for $20.
Subsequently Lonnie Brumfield
and Joe. C. Anders were indicted for
a similar offense. Brumfield has
since died. Anders is scheduled to
go to trial soon.
SMILES AT WHITE WOMAN
HIS RECORD SAVES HIM
Little Rock, Ark.—Oscar Warner,
arrested several days ago by Motor
cycle Patrolman Barrett on a charge
of insulting white women, was dis
missed by Municipal Judge Lewis
after several business men had tes
tified as to his good reputation. A
white woman, the prosecuting wit
ness, alleged that the man smiled
at her as he passed in an automobile
and also sounded the klaxon of his
car and made a motion as if inviting
her into the auto.
INTERMARRIAGE MEASURE
IS SET ASIDE
—
Providence, R. I.—The proposed
anti-intermarriage bill introduced by
Senator Weaver, republican, of Rich
mond, R. I., was postponed indefin
itely in the legislature last week.
Senator Archambeault, democrat, of
West Warwick, made the motion for
the indefinite postponement of the
bill, which was carried.
GIBSON HOTEL REPLACES
NEGROES WITH WHITES
Cincinnati, Ohio—The Gibson ho
tel, one of the largest hotels in the
country, let out the entire force of
colored waiters, and replaced them
with whites. A former dishwasher
who now manages the hotel, said he
did not like Negroes.
* .
EDITORIAL
Of course it is considered as a harmless form of entertain
ment and there is not the slightest ihtention of being irreverent
or sacrilegious, but a moment’s sober thought will convince any
but the wilfully obdurate that any parodying of sacred things,
ordinances or relationships is irreverent and harmful. Among
all right-thinking people marriage is considered as a sacred re
lationship. It is made impressive and intended to be safe
guarded by a religious ceremony. It is not regarded, certainly
by the vast majority of people, as merely a civil contract, but
in addition to this as a religious ceremony. To turn any serious
religious ceremony into a joke or a matter of amusement is
sacrilegious and works an irreparable injury by its degrada
tion and lowering of respect for the ordinance or ceremony.
It would shock the religious sense of even thoughtless people
if any religious denomination would advertise as a form of
entertainment, for example, “A MOCK CELEBRATION OF
THE HOLY COMMUNION.” It would be considered, and
rightly so, a shocking thing. And yet, it is not an uncommon
thing for religious denominations to have "Mock Marriages,”
"Tom Thumb Marriages” and similar parodies of the ordinance
of matrimony.
Recently in our city, the participants in such an affair
were prominent men of our city, holding important positions.
One impersonated the bride, and wide publicity was given the
affair. When prominent people do this, others reason that it
is all right. This is particularly true of our own group who
are largely imitators of the dominant group—in some things.
But we do not hesitate to say that "Mock Marriages” by whom
soever given are irreverent and lower respect for the marriage
relationship which in this day is regarded far too lightly. No
religious organization or church should promote or counte
nance them as a form of entertainment whatever other organi
zations may do. *
Parodies or mockery of religious ceremonies or ordinances
i bring such ordinance into contempt. No thoughtful person
i who regards religion as one of the nation’s greatest safeguards
I will willingly do this.
HEAD FOR PRESIDENT
Some months ago The Monitor pinned to its mast-head
the name of Walter W. Head, of Omaha, as our choice for
republican nominee for president in 1928. We said at that
time that Calvin Coolidge had no cinch on the nomination in
j 1928. The succeeding months ha~*r only confirmed this opin
ion. We believe that the West will furnish the next candi
date and we are convinced that Walter Head, although he
lays no claim to previous political services, will make a strong,
formidable and acceptable candidate. He is an able and
clear-headed business man, with proven administrative and
executive ability. He is in close touch with eastern interests,
and, as a son of the West, knows first-hand, from intimate
experience, the needs of the agricultural West. He has not
the provincialism of ‘way down east,” or of ‘‘way out west,”
but the cosmopolitanism and open-mindedness of the middle
west. As ex-president of the American Bankers’ association,
he ought not be unacceptable to those who are interested in
big business and he most certainly will be acceptable to the
West. As national president of the Boy Scouts of America
he has made important contacts as well as in other positions
which he has held.
If Grant and others who had had no previous political
training or services could make successful presidents why
could not a trained business man like Walter Head do so?
Let Nebraska republicans line up for Walter Head for
president in 1928 and put him over. We believe it can be
done.
ROSENWALD MAKES
GENEROUS GIFT TO
HOWARD UNIVERSITY
Philanthropist Makes Offer to Help
Complete $500,000 Endow
ment for Medical
School
Washington, D. C.—Julius Rosen*
wald, Chicago philanthropist, in a
conference recently with Dr. Morde
cai W. Johnson, president and Dr.
Emmett J. Scott, secretary-treasurer
of Howard university, agreed to give
$25,000 of the $99,000 still needed
to meet the conditional offer of the
general education board to give
$250,000 toward a $500,000 endow
ment for the university medical
school.
The general education board made
an offer on the condition that an
equal amount be given by officers,
teachers, alumni and friends of the
university. Of the amount to be
raised among friends of the institu
tion, $151,000 has been collected
and paid into the university treas
ury. Mr. Rosenwald’s offer has been
made in order to facilitate early col
lection of the remainder.
The Howard medical school has
been in continuous existence since
1862, graduating from its depart
ments more than 2,500 who now
practice in 40 states and in 6 foreign
countries. A new medical building is
in process of erection and will cost
when equipped $500,000, all of which
is available at present except $50,
000. The university has as its aim,
through medical facilities and ednow
ment to develop a $1,000,000 medi
cal plant this year.
OFFICIALS RESUME
PROBE OF ALLEGED
RUM BATHTUB PARTY
Federal Authorities Investigating the
Affair in Which It Is Charged
a Nude Negro Girl Was
Featured
Atlanta, Ga.—The federal grand
jury recently began an extensive in
quiry into the party given by the
Atlanta Co-operative Club here on
January I7th, in honor of Carl Lang
necht, of Kansas City, international
president. Two bills were presnted
charging two colored waiters with
violation of the prohibition law, but
no bills against thew were returned.
Witnesses summoned to appear be
fore the jury included Winfield Jones,
president of the local club; A1 Bailey,
in charge of entertainment; Jones
Ewing, prominent Atlanta realtor;
Frank T. Reynolds, resident manager
‘of the Ansley hotel, where the party
was staged, and John Russell, publi
city manager of the hotel, all whites.
The Fulton county grand jury re
cently completed an investigation of
the affair after published reports
churged that liquor had been served
and that a race girl had been dis
played in a bath tub in a take-off
of the Earl Carroll party. The Dink
ier Hotels, a corporation owning the
chain of which the Ansley is a mem
ber, and M. B. Petty, house detec
tive, were indicted with two waiters
charged with violation of the prohi
bition law.
Lots of people labor under the de
lusion that they can give their friends
away and make new ones.
Oil Discovery on Oklahoma
Land May Enrich College
Boise City, Okla.—Millions of dol
lars are expected to fill the coffers of
the Oklahoma Colored Agricultural
and Mechanical college at Langston
soon as the results of the discovery
of a “gusher” on the land said to
have been allotted to the school by
the government years ago.
Oil Discovered
Officials of the state school land
office believe that the Ramsey dis
covery in the Mecca of the world’s
oildom three weeks ago is on the
state land that was allotted to the
race school at statehood.
Colored Americans who have had
an important influence on the history
of “No Man’s Land,” are certain that
they will benefit from this newest
find in the oil development that has
helped to make Oklahoma the leading
oil state in the country. Although
the race population of the Panhandle
(as the oil area is called) is probably
proportianately less than any other
section of the state, the colored
American is said to have been indi
rectly the cause of the territory be
coming an orphan empire, claimed by
no state nor government for a long
time.
Texas Refused Tract
Texas refused to accept the tract,
which comprises some 6,400 square
miles, because it lay north of the
Mason-Dixon line, the boundary es
tablished before the Civil War to con
fine slave-holding to the Southern
states. A congressional effort to an
nex the territory to New Mexico was
unsuccessful. Kansas, to the north,
already had its boundaries clearly de
fined and the United States supreme
court held that the area could not
be annexed to the Cherokee outlet, a
strip of land now included in the
state of Oklahoma.
Bearing the title of “No Man’s
Land” the territory for many years
recognized no authority, and became
a rendezvous where outlaws could re
main in security. It was added to
Oklahoma territory in 1890 by presi
dential proclamation when what is
now the western half of the state of
Oklahoma was thrown open to white
settlement and a territorial govern
ment was established.
Set Aside for School
The enabling act, passed by con
gress as an authority for admitting
Oklahoma to statehood, set aside cer
tain land for the benefit of the state
university, the state agricultural and
mechanical college, and normal col
lege. The income from these lands
was to contribute toward the mainte
nance- of the schools.
These allotted tracts are inter
spersed among the 207,000 acres of
school land in Cimarron county, and
a survey will have to be made to de
termine which institution is entitled
to the benefits from the Ramsey
well, says W. A. Durant, secretary
of the school land commission. He
believes, however, that the well is on
the Oklahoma Colored Agricultural
and Mechanical College.
KIP RHINELANDER ATTEMPTS
TO HAVE CASE REOPENED
New York—The last notch in the
famous Rhinelander annualment suit
is scheduled to be reached within the
next week. The appeal case of
Rhinelander against the refusal of
the lower court to invalidate Kip
Rhinelander’s marriage to Alice
Jones will be heard in the court of
appeals set its session which opens
soon.
It is anticipated that Mrs. Rhine
lander will seek a separation and
not a divorce in case that the lower
court’s decision is sustained.
Judge Samuel P. Swineburne,
chief attorney for Mrs. Rhinelander
has stated that if the appeal court
sustains the decision of the lower
court Kip must either come to live
with her or make substantial provi
sion for her support.
KANSAS GIVES CHARTER
TO FIRST RACE FINANCE
CORPORATION IN STATE
Topeka, Kansas—A charter has
been granted for the first colored
finance corporation to be established
in the state of Kansas. The new in
stitution, which will have headquar
ters here, will be known as the In
vestment Loan corporation. Its cap
ital stock is placed at $75,000, stock
selling at $12 a share.
The officers and directors of the
corporation are: President, U. A.
Graham (employee Merchants Na
tional bank for the past 23 years);
first vice president, Peter Davis,
(coal dealer); second vice president,
W. H. Washington (private chef,
owner Cassa Dora, a social resort);
secretary-treasurer, F. J. Buckner
(tradesman); auditor, H. O. Evans
(club steward); attorney, Wm. M.
Bradshaw.
MEN’S CLUB PRE-LENTEN
BALL A FINE AFFAIR
The pre-Lenten ball given last
Monday night at Dreamland hall by
the Men’s Club of St. Philip’s Episco
pal church, was a most delightful
affair and was successful from every
point of view. It was attended by
more than 300. Adams’ orchestra
was at its best and young and old
spent an enjoyable evening. As the
first social event to be given by the
Men’s Club it was voted a brilliant
success.
GIRL OSTRACISED BY RACE
PREJUDICE ATTEMPTS SUICIDE
Sensitive Jewish Girl, Scorned by
Shopmates, Leaps into River
in Effort to Take Own
Life
RESCUED BY CREW OF SAILORS
New York, N. Y.—The spleen of
bitter race hatred almost lead to the
death of an innocent young girl here
recently.
Because other girls in a brassiere
shop, where she worked, had ostra
cized her of late due to her nationali
ty, Miss Ida Jankow, 19-year-old
Jewess, tried to end her life by leap
ing from Willis Avenue bridge into
the Harlem river, thirty feet below.
Rescued by Sailors
She was rescued by the crew of a
New Haven railroad tug and taken to
Lincoln hospital suffering from ex
posure and nervous trouble. There
stretched out wan and weak upon a
cot, she told a reporter what had
precipitated her act.
She simply could not bear loneli
ness and ostracism, she said. She
had tried to be friendly with the
girls with whom she worked, and
one of them, Julia by name, had be
come her comrade.
Race Hatred Effects
But there had been a quarrel be
tween the comrades, and then Julia
had sought to get even by turning
other girls in the shop against Ida.
Racial prejudice had been leveled
against her and she had not been
strong enough to hold her head up
under this strain. Instead of seek
ing other employment, or staying
there and seeing her troubles through
she had turned to thoughts of sui
cide. “I wanted first to take poison,”
she said. “I felt I did not want to
live any more.” From thoughts of
poison she turned to the river.
Mother Ignores Scorn
In Ida’s home, overlooking St.
Mary’s Park, her mother, Mrs. Solo
mon Jankow, said Ida had been
“very foolish.” She said the girl
should not have let race prejudice
drive her to end her life. She said
Ida had not appeared to be worry
ing intensely the night before her
attempt upon her life. The girl had
come home to supper at the usual
time and after supper had gone to
the movies.
“I’m glad she will get better,” the
mother said.